Vacuum cup cap for collapsible tubes



Dec. 18, 1934. H. WARREN VACUUM CUP CAP FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed May 2, 1932 WITNSS a W/ ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 18, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I 1 Claim.

My invention relates to vacuum cup caps for collapsible tubes and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of-my invention is to provide a cap for a collapsible tube which will not only enable the tube to be attached to a convenient support, but whichwill permit the tube to be detached and the contents used without detaching the vacuum cup from the support.

A further object of the invention is to provide a vacuum cap which may serve as the only closure of the tube or which may contain a metal cap such as that ordinarily used.

A further object is to provide a cap which is in no danger of being lost in a drain pipe or beneath some object upon the floor since the cap is designed to be secured to a support while the tube is being used.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming part of this application, in

which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved tube as attached to a shelf;

' Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the tube and cap;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of one form of the cap as applied to a tube;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of another form; and

Fig. 5 is a section along the line 5--5 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawing I have shown therein a collapsible tube 1 of the ordinary type having secured thereto a vacuum cup 2 made of rubber.

As will be seen from Fig. 3 the cup 2 is provided with the usual recess 3 and it has a neck portion 4 having a threaded socket 5 arranged to receive the threaded end portion 6 of the tube.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modified form in which the cup 2 is molded or otherwise secured to the ordinary metal cap 7. The latter is threaded to engage the threaded portion 6 of the tube 1 In using the device the cup such as that shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 is pressed against the support 8-to which it is to be attached, see Fig. 1, and the tube is held thereby. Now when it is desired to use the tube all that is necessary is to unscrew the tube from the cap. The cap remains firmly attached to the support 8. The contents of the tube may be squeezed out as, for instance, where one is using tooth paste and the tube may be rescrewed into the socket of the cap and left suspended.

It will be noted that the use of this vacuum cup serves a double purpose, namely, to hold the tube and also to provide a holding means for the cap when the tube is being removed. With a tube of the ordinary type it is necessary to hold the tube in one hand, remove the cap with the other hand then, if tooth paste is being used, to pick up the tooth brush and apply the tooth paste. Usually the cap is left lying loose on a support and it may be knocked 01f into a bowl and fall into the drain pipe or it may be knocked off and rolled into some position where it is dimcult to get it.

In the present invention the tooth brush may be held in one hand, the tube unscrewed with the other hand, the tooth paste applied and the tube may be immediately screwed into the cap thus obviating any danger of losing the cap and permitting the unscrewing and the replacing of the tube with one hand.

I am aware that vacuum cups for holding various articles to supports are in use but I am not aware of any vacuum cup which forms the top of a collapsible tube and which will therefore permit the removal or replacement of the tube with one hand.

I claim:

The combination of a collapsible tube having a threaded neck and a vacuum cup, of a metal cap having a threaded socket arranged to receive the threaded neck,.said cap having a head and a body portion molded in the cup, with the body portion of the cap flush with the edge of the cup on the opposite side from the curved cup portion.

' HARLOW WARREN. 

